


Above

by EnInkahootz



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Astronomy, Child Draco Malfoy, Constellations, Gen, Stars, Sweet, Young Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 10:05:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13005408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnInkahootz/pseuds/EnInkahootz
Summary: An adult Severus babysits a child Draco, who tells Severus about the constellation he is named for.





	Above

“Draco,” Severus called as he approached, “there you are.” Draco was on the balcony off his bedroom, looking through the telescope he had gotten as a Christmas gift two months earlier. Severus picked up the cloak that lay on Draco’s bed and brought it out to him. “It is too cold for what you are wearing, put this on,” he instructed.

“Uncle Severus, do you know about the constellations?” Draco asked with delight as he pulled on his cloak.

“Would you like to tell me about them, Draco?” Severus inquired in response. He smiled as Draco reached for a book, which lay on the table set between two chairs, and carefully opened it to a particular page.

“Come sit with me,” Draco exclaimed with excitement as he sat down, and Severus sat on the chair beside him.

“See, the constellations are pictures in the sky. You can see them by connecting stars, like connect-the-dots,” Draco explained enthusiastically, “Look,” he said as he showed the page to Severus. “This one is mine. Draco.”

He stared down at the book and ran his index finger along the lines of the constellation.

“Mommy and Daddy named me after a star picture,” he said thoughtfully.

“Yes they did,” Severus agreed, “and it is a very lovely constellation.”

“It looks like a dragon and I know how to find it in the sky,” Draco declared proudly as he rushed back to his telescope. He searched for a few moments, alternately looking through his telescope and peering directly up at the quickly darkening sky. He frowned.

“I can’t find it,” he said, turning back toward Severus.

“Do not give up,” Severus encouraged.

Draco nodded with determination and tried again. Severus waited patiently as Draco searched.

“First you find the Big Dipper,” Draco told himself, “It looks like a pot for cooking.”

“That is correct,” Severus said.

“I see that one,” Draco declared, pulling away from the telescope and tracing it in the air with his finger.

“Then what do you find next?” Severus asked.

“The star Polaris,” Draco recalled, “that’s the end of the handle part of the little cooking pot, The Little Dipper.” He thought for a moment, a look of great concentration on his face, before continuing, “To find the star Polaris, connect the dots of the two stars on the front of the Big Dipper and they will point the way,” Draco recited, having memorized the pages of his book.

“Very good,” Severus responded.

“I found Polaris!” Draco exclaimed after a while.

“Well done, and what comes after that?”

“Between Polaris and the big cooking pot – The Big Dipper,” Draco corrected himself, “you can find the dragon’s tail, and from there you can find the rest of the star picture called Draco – I mean, the constellation,” he amended, pronouncing the word carefully.

He picked up his book and again traced the constellation on the page with his forefinger, then examined the sky further for some time. He set down the book and used his finger to draw the constellation on the ledge of the balcony as he looked up and then through his telescope.

“I found it!” Draco exclaimed with satisfaction, pointing gleefully to the sky and following the curve of the dragon’s tail down to his body and head, “Uncle Severus, come look! Come look! I found it!”

Severus moved to the telescope and looked through at the constellation Draco, glowing in the night sky.

“I found it, right?” Draco asked.

“Yes, you did it,” Severus replied, smiling down at him, “I knew that you could.”

Draco beamed. He sat down again then reached for the journal that lay on the table beside the open constellations book. He picked up the nearby quill and ink and carefully opened the journal to a blank page. Severus sat down beside him and watched as Draco slowly and precisely drew the constellation on the page. He referred back to the picture in the book, but not very often. Severus could see that he was nearly half way through the journal’s pages, and had drawn the constellation many times already. After Draco was done he blew on the ink to dry it, then held up the page to the sky, comparing it to the stars above.

“Dragons are so beautiful, but real dragons are scary too,” Draco stated. He looked down at the collection of miniature dragon figurines that were lined up on the back edge of the table. He was quiet for a long moment.

“Do Mommy and Daddy want me to be scary like a real dragon when I grow up?” Draco asked, looking concerned.

Severus looked at him, a little sadly because he thought they rather did want that.

“Draco,” Severus told him, looking into his eyes, “you should be exactly who you are.”

And Draco smiled.

“Now it is time for your dinner,” Severus instructed, “come.” Draco gingerly set down his journal, leaving it open so that the still damp drawing wouldn’t smudge. He closed the small bottle of ink, gave one last glance to the sky, and followed Severus inside.


End file.
